Rail-joint.



No. 675,l67 Patented May 28, 190|. L. G. READ.

RAIL JOINT.

(Appicnion led Dec. 24, 1900.)

4 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

No. 675.I67. Patented May 28, i901.

L. G. READ.

RAIL JOINT.

, (Application tiled Dec. 24, 1900.\ (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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Patented May 28, |90I. L.: G. READ.

RAIL JUINT.

(Apphcatxon med 900.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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RAIL JDINT.

(Application led Dec. 24, 1900.1

No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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LINUS e. RAD, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters atent No. 675,167', dated May 28, 1901.

Application tiled December 24,1900. Serial No. 41,006. (No modelo T0 all whom, it ntctg/ concern/.-

Be it known that l, LINUS G. READ, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a joint for rails which will be simple and strong, dispense with the use of iish-plates, avoid pounding the ends of the rails, allowfor contraction and expansion, permit the removal and substitution of rails one by one without disturbing the others, and meet the various exigencies arising in railway service.

In the drawings forming part of this speciication, Figure 1 is a plan View of my joint, parts being shown by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken through the line of bolts. Figs. 3 and 4. are plan views of the ends of the rails, showing how the parts come together. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the completed joint. Fig. G is a cross-section taken on the line l 2 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 3 4 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a section taken on theline 5 6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 shows the path of travel over the joint.

The rail ends are formed by having the flange of the base removed for a given distance from ct to Z9. (See Fig. 3.) A short distance from the end of the rail the tread is entirely removed, leaving the web as shown at c, Figs. 3 and 4. For a certain further distance approximately one-halt of the tread is removed, as shown at d, and for the remainder of the length the full tread is left, as clearly indicated in the drawings.

Where the ends of the tread portion of the rail come together and where the portions of the ange come together may be either curved, as shown in the drawings, or straight, as desired.

The web is offset from the point where the flange portion is removed to the end of the rail, as clearly shown in fulls lines in Fig. 2 and dotted lines in Fig. l.

The web is pierced with holes for the bolts by which the rails are secu red together, these holes being so made as to allow for expansion and contraction in the-usual way.

When the two ends of .the rails are placed together, the joint is formed as shown in Fig. 1.

It will be noted that that portion of the web from which the tread is entirely removed projects under the tread of the other rail, and thus the tread of a rail at the joint is supported by the full strength of the webs of both rails. The two parts ot the tread and Ithe two parts ot' the flange joined together form a complete rail of substantially the ordinary shape. It will also be noted that the tread is continuous-that is, that the Weight is not suddenly transferred from one rail to the other.

To prevent pounding of the ends of the rail where they come together, the tread is reduced or beveled off at the meeting-points of the rails, as shown in Fig. 5 and indicated also by the small letter m in Fig. 8.

In Fig. 9 is shown diagrammatically the path ot travel of the wheel along the rail. The shaded surface indicates such path of travel and the dotted lines the portions of the rail which are beveled off or reduced in size. If the wheel is moving in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 9, on reaching the beveledolf portion it will travel entirely on the rail X until it has passed the meeting-point of the rails, when it will move on both rails until it reaches the next beveled surface, and then the weight will be entirely carried by the rail marked Y.

The parts are so arranged, as clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, as to allow for the necessary contraction and expansion.

I thus provide a joint which is as strong as the body of the rail, dispensing entirely with sh-plates or similar constructions, while at the same time provision is made for expansion and contraction.

'The wheel does not pound the meeting ends of the tread, but passes over without touch-v ing them, its weight being borne by the solid part ot the rail. Atrack laid with these rails would be stronger at the joints than in the other portions of the rails.

I have also provided a rail by which track can be very rapidly laid and maintained ata less expense than is now necessary.

The laying of curves is more easily and accurately effected by rails of this type than by the others, and the lateral strength of the joint is so great as to materiallyincrease the strength ot' the track on curves.

IOO

The rail ends may be formed in any way that is desirable.

That I claim, and desire to secure by Iletlters Patent, is-

1. Arail formed for a certain distance from the end with the base on one side only, a portion of this length from the end being formed without a tread, aeertain other portion being formed with a part only of the tread, and the remainder with a f ull-size tread, substantially as described.

2. A rail formed for a certain distance from the end with the base on one side only, the web being oiset for such distance, a portion of this length from the end being formed without a tread, a certain other distance being formed with a part only of the tread, andthe remainder with a vfull-size tread, substantially as described.

3. A scarf-joint for rails having the meeting ends of the tread beveled, the angle of the bevel gradually increasing from the een ter to the edge and the bevel gradually dccreasing in width from the end until it merges into the rail, whereby such meeting ends will not be subject to the blow of the wheel, andthe form of the rail will not depart materially* from the general contour, substantially as described.

4. Arail having its end formed to unite with the end of another rail to form a complete rail of practically the ordinary type, and having means to secure the ends together, a portion of the web and base-ange of each rail at the meeting-points extending under and supporting the tread of the other rail, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have .signed my name to this specification in the presence ot ltwo subscribing witnesses.

L. G. READ.

lVitnesses :f

HENRY C. KELLEY, I?. XV. P. BRNIG. 

